Three Australian sports editors are arguing loudly about a famous footballer's fall from grace as their newspaper's deadline looms.

A very experienced Indian copy editor works furiously to clear the mountain of sports articles piling up. The bosses continue their noisy debate and the mountain grows higher.

"The problem with this place is there are too many chiefs and not enough Indians," the copy editor boomed, with his tongue firmly planted in his cheek.

The editors cracked up.

This happened a few years ago in the offices of my last newspaper and it was one of my first tastes of Indian humor, which is now sweeping across the world thanks to the celebrated movie Slumdog Millionaire.

The rags-to-riches feel-good flick was made on a small budget and featured little-known actors but has been able to garner world-wide applause.

Why? Times are tough, and the world is looking for hope in a time of great doubt. The movie captures the endearing spirit of the Indian people, and the dark humor they enjoy.

My Indian friends say the glass is not half empty, nor half full ... it is most probably poisoned.

Coming from a nation of a billion souls, they are a special group of people I have come to know better thanks to my China adventure.